Chapter 7 - The Truth Behind The Mask

Sonya-White-Angel:Updatedness. I liked that chp too. enjoy.

Lucia:I have been beaten in the UPDATE factor...You wrote more UPDATEs than I did. Sad, but oh well. Here's the next chapter.

Two reviewers...-sad-

A week had passed since that night, and still Kurama had not seen Ikken. Ikken had been getting back to her regular schedule and brooded upon what she had learned by night. One day there was a story on the news.

"So...what do you suppose we'll have for dinner tonight?" Ikken asked, turning on her rarely used tv.

'I don't know...how about fish?' Buster asked, slightly bored. Jasmine nodded, then pounced on him. They play fought as the news came on.

"Now for our latest story. Another bank was robbed in Tokyo-" Ikken turned it up. "This is the 5th in a rash of robberies all over the city. The crime was done just as the other 4 were, but once again by a different culprit. No leads have been found as to the identity of the mastermind behind it all. This is a clip from the first robbery."

On the screen was a man with brown hair, mostly covered with a hat, and green eyes.

"This is from the second one, and this from the third."

On the screen appeared a man wearing about the same hat but with blonde hair and green eyes. The third was a man in the same hat with red hair and green eyes. A fourth screen appeared, and the news caster announced it. It was the same hat but the guy had blue hair and green eyes.

"This is the most recent shot of a robbery." the caster commented as the 5th appeared. It was the same hat, the same green eyes, but he had green hair this time. Ikken was staring avidly at the screen.

'Ikken?' Jasmine asked, tapping her. Buster and her had stopped fighting. Ikken's eyes narrowed at the screen, at the man with green hair.

"He's back."

— — — - - - — — —

Kurama stared at the screen. Could the robber be Ikken? He shook his head. Of course not. Ikken was nice. She was no bank robber. He blinked, wondering how much he actually knew her...He shook his head again.

No! She's not a criminal! He yelled in his mind. Kurama got up and left. The sun was setting as he walked down the road.

Kurama's mind was blank. He might have run into a few things, but Kurama didn't notice. He soon found himself in the park, where he had seen Ikken dancing. Kurama blinked, when had he gotten here? He shrugged and sat on the nearest bench. He thought back and remembered when he saw her dancing.

The more he thought about it, the more he was sure she had wings. They had been almost see through, but he was sure he'd seen them. Ikken had seemed so beautiful while she danced...She couldn't possibly be a robber...could she?

Footsteps caught his attention and he turned his head.

— — —

Ikken ran upstairs and put on her jacket. She ran out of her house with one thought in mind. She had to tell someone about this. She had to tell Kurama about this.

— — —

Kurama turned his head and saw Ikken. She had black hair that went to her waist and her dark orbs penetrated the surrounding area. She was wearing a slack white t-shirt with a red circle in the center. She wore a pair of blue shorts that could hardly be seen below the shirt. Kurama blinked as he stared at her. She was breathing hard and had a desperate look in her eyes. He closed his eyes and mentally sighed.

"Ikken." he stated. Kurama opened his eyes to see that Ikken's breathing had slowed to normal and she looked hopeful.

"Can you see me now?" she asked. Kurama shook his head.

"No...not how you wish it. I can see you as you wish me to see you." he answered, like always. Kurama opened his eyes and for a moment, thought he was remembering still. He saw something...different. Kurama saw a faint image of wings and he could've sworn her limbs were different colors. Blinking, she looked normal again. "D-do you want something?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Have you seen the news?" she asked, a slight plea in her voice. He nodded and she swallowed. "We've got trouble."

"Trouble?" Kurama repeated. "What's going on Ikken?" he asked.

"Kurama. I learned my disguising ability from someone. His name was Yue and he was really nice. But when I started to get strong, I noticed he changed. He became evil and power hungry. Yue's aura changed completely. I ran away...I ran to the human world. Once here I used my abilities to blend in."

"Abilities." Kurama mumbled. Ikken nodded.

"When I came here, I landed on a fox's den. All of them died but one. I took her in and named her Jasmine. A while later, before I got a house...Jasmine and I found Buster. He'd been abandoned as a pup, so I took him in. I got a job, then bought a house. For awhile, I thought I was free of Yue and his demon dojo forever." she explained, sitting down next to Kurama.

"I saw the news...and I was scared. He's back...I know he's looking for me. Yue found a way to capture energy. That's the main reason I ran away. I didn't want him to take what little power I had." she explained.

"How does he suck out their power?" Kurama asked, his tone serious.

"Their souls." she said, placing her hands over her chest. "He learned how to suck out a creatures soul! Yue's a monster! Once I considered him my brother almost, but now...I never want to see him again!" she slid off the bench and fell to her knees. Kurama sat down next to her.

"Ikken. Are you al-...right?" he blinked. Had he seen those wings again? He shook his head, there was no time for that.

'Very clever Ikken. You're progressing well. Soon you'll probably be as good as me.'

Ikken stood up, looking around. She held her head. Kurama looked up at her.

"Ikken?" he asked, standing up. She took off. "Ikken! Wait! Where are you going! Come back!"

'I'm sorry Kurama! I have to do this alone!' she ran through the city. She stopped and focused on his position. Once she had it, Ikken took off again. Kurama saw which way she went and was following as best he could.

— — —

'Yue! I know you're here! Come out you bastard!' she yelled in her mind. Nothing happened. "Yue! I hate your guts!" she screamed. A wind blew across the abandoned dock she'd found herself in. A high, cold laugh accompanied it.

"So...you're here afer all. I'm never wrong. Seems you still refuse to let the world see what you are." A voice said.

A man with purple locks that hung to his waist and framed his face walked into view. His eyes were green and he wore a sick smirk. Yue wore black and red robes that went to the floor and the hat from all the videos lay on a box to his left. Behind him, in an abandoned warehouse, lay jewels, money, gold, and bones. Rat bones, cat bones, dog bones...His teeth were pointed and sharp, as were his claws. He had upside down crescents on his cheeks and forehead. The long sleeves of his robes hid whatever markings were on his limbs. Red jewels were crammed into the back of his hands. Yue smirked as Ikken glared.

"What? Not happy to see your mentor?" he asked in a mock hurt voice. Ikken punched with her left hand, sending a wave of air at him. Yue hit it with his own wave of air, neutralizing both attacks.. Ikken growled and punched with her right hand, throwing fire at him. Yue blinked before dodging. "Learned new moves have you?"

"What's it to you?" she asked in a loud voice. They were standing about 30 ft apart. Yue shrugged.

"Tisk tisk tisk. Temper temper! You still have problems with that anger." he mocked. Yue laughed heartily for a few moments, Ikken's aura grew with her anger. He blinked. "Still cant control your aura either. I'll tell you one last time...Even when you're angry, hide your aura. It's one of the worst mistakes you can make if you let your enemy know your full strength." he grinned.

"Don't tell me what to do! I am not your brat anymore! I've grown. I am no longer 8 years old!" she screamed. She had run away at age 8, wandered Makai for years, then found a portal to the human world and took her chances. That was 2 years ago. Yue seemed to be reading something invisible.

"Ha! So. You've declared all who can't see through your disguise unworthy? Then how will you ever find love darling?" he asked, speaking as a rich dressmaker would.

"You...Don't go through my memories!" she yelled, fearing he would learn of Kurama. Her fears were realized when Yue looked thoroughly pleased and looked up.

"Kurama, huh? Wonderful dear, perfect. You went against your code. I've always had a seriousness about holding to codes, you know that. I'll just have to destroy your little 'fox boy'." he grinned.

"Bastard!" she ran at him full force and beat in his chest. Yue flew across the dock and landed just before falling off the dock and into the water. He looked down at the water, then glared at Ikken.

"You almost got my outfit wet." he complained. Ikken was shaking with anger.

"Never touch Kurama. Or I'll KILL YOU!" She yelled, still shaking. She was suddenly in the wall of a warehouse.

"You have no room to tell me what to do." Yue said evilly as he walked through the rubble and into the warehouse after his prey. "You're fox boy wont be coming!" he yelled, getting the fleeting impression that she wanted help. "You told him to stay away yes? 'I'm sorry Kurama! I have to do this alone!'" he mocked.

'Alone!' it rang in her head. 'Alone! Am I alone? Kurama can't see me! He can't see me!' she cried in her mind.

— — —

'He can't see me!' Kurama skidded to a stop. What was that? He turned around and looked in the other direction.

"Over there." he said, taking off.